Folding machine



June 9, 1925.

A. W. HALL FOLDING MACHINE Filed NQV. 13' 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. w. HALL FOLDING MACHINE June 9, 1.925,`

, 1925 2 sheets-'smet 2 Filed Nov. 13

Mu nu "Hmmm Patented June 9, i925.

PATE'!` AUGUST YV. HALL, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING MACHINE.

Application filed November 13, 1923. -Serial No. 674,478.

Y 1o all cti/0m it may conce/im:

Be it known that'I, AUGUST WV. HALL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Folding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding machines and relates particularly to folding machines of thefamiliar type in which folding of a blank-as a sheet of paper-is effected by a pair of folding `rolls between which the blank is conducted by a reciprocating knife.

Broadly stated, the object of the invention is to provide a folding machine of the type specified, constructed and arranged for folding the edges of paper or other blanks inwardly towards each other to form oppositely folded marginal flaps thereon.

Heretofore it has been considered impracticable to fold blanks in this manner, for the reason that it is necessary to form said folds successively-rst one and then the otherand the formation of the second fold operating almost invariably, to straighten out the first fold.

Specifically, therefore, the object of the present invention is to lprovide means in association with the folding rolls and knife of a folding machine to prevent straightening of the first fold in the formation of the second.

To effect this object, folding means embodying my invention and improvements lcomprises in combination,` folding rolls, 'a folding knife,operating means therefor, pivoted guiding means adapted for directing the first fold of the blank between the folding rolls, and means for imparting oscillating movement thereto, the relation being such that said guiding means will be entirely out of the path of the advancing edge of the blank as it is fed into position to receive the second fold.

Specifically, said guiding means comprises a rock shaft and a cam shaft rotatably mounted in bearings in the machine frame, gears which connectsaid cam shaft in train with the driving gears of the folding rolls, guide fingers on said rock shaft, a cam on said cam shaft, a pivoted lever, a roller stud thereon which runs in Contact with said cam, an arm on said rock shaft and a connecting rod opposite .ends of which. are pivotally connected to said crank arm and cam actuated lever, and a spring applied to said cam actuated lever adapted to maintain the roller stud thereon in contact with the actuating cam.

The invention also comprises the various other features, combinations of features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. v

In the accompanying drawings, in which my invention is fully illustrated,

' Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank such as a folding machine embodying my improvements is adapted to fold, the two parallel lines of fold being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the two marginal flaps folded over.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view of a folding machine lillustrating a 'folding mechanism of my invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view thereof; and

Figure 5' is a sectional elevation on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings I have for purposes of clear and definite illustration shown a blank such as my improved machine is designed for folding and the con tempiated manner of folding the same.

Referring particularly to said Figs. 1 and 2, A, Fig. 1, designates' the blank before it is folded and A', Fig. 2, the folded blank, the edges of which have been folded inwardly towards each other on the lines of fold 1, 1', Fig. 1, to form marginal flaps ci, a.

Blanks such as my improved machine are designed for folding, are largely used for mailing'purposes-as for order blanks, and

Vin additionto the folds 1, 1 are also comnionly foldedl transversely and comprise a gummed flap t2 adapted for sealing the blank in folded position for mailing. The formation of said transverse fold has no relation to the present invention and may be done either by hand or in a folding machine, either in association with the folding rolls 3, 3 or in a separate machine.

Inthe following description of the construction and operation of the machine, we will assume that the blank is folded successively on the longitudinal lines 1, 1.

The formation of the fold 1 may be effected by folding means of any usual type, as, for example, the folding rolls and knife, presently described.

lUU

Folding of the blank on the second line of fold 1 to form the marginal flap a is more difficult and it is to mechanism for making this second fold that my invention has particular reference.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 8 to 5 of the drawings in which I have shown that portion of a folding machine of the general type speoiiied, adapted for making the second fold of the blank A on the line 1', B designates the frame of the machine, 3, 3 the folding rolls, and e the folding knife for delivering the blanks to be folded to the folding rolls 3, 3, said folding knife being mounted at the ends of arms 5 pivoted to the machine frame so that turning movement thereof will advance the folding knife d into the angle between the folding rolls 3, 3 and to retract .it therefrom. Saidarms 5 are rigidly connected and the folding 'knife l secured thereto by means of a usual backing plate 6.

Blanks to be folded are delivered to the folding rolls and folding knife between top and bottom guides 7 and 8 and the position of the blanks relative to said folding mechanism is defined by a stop 9 secured to the top guides 7, preferably so as to be adjustable :lengthwise thereof. rfhe means for delivering the blanks :to be folded to the folding mechanism consists vof endless tapes Iwhich rest `upon and move along the lower guides 8, and may be supported and vactuate in any desired manner.

All of the foregoing parts are old and well know-n in the folding machine art and will lreadily be understood by persons familiar with the art from an kexsnnination of the drawings without a description thereof in detail.

In accordance with my :invention as it relates to folding the blank A .on the second lineof fold 1 vto form the marginal flap a, it alsoV comprises means to prevent the mar- Iginal flap a, formel 'by the first fold, from becoming straightened out 4in the second folding operation.

As it lrelates to this feature, my improved machine comprises lguide vlingers 10 secured to a rock'shaft 11 mounted in the machine frame above the guides 7 and '8 and parallel with the shafts .of the fold-ing rolls. The guide fingers 10 are secured to blocks 12 on the rock shaft 11 and are adapted to be se cu-red thereto indifferent adjusted positions by set screws 13. 'The projecting ends of the guide fingers 10 are lbent downwardly so that when at the lower limit of their advancement, shown in dotted lines, F ig. 8, Ithey lwill extend in `close proximity to the feed roll .3 and when at ,the limit of their retraction, shown in full lines, will be retracted Yout o-f the path of the advancing -edgesof blanks delivered to the folding dev vices between the guidesf andl A'8.

In the preferable construction shown, rocking movement is adapted to be imparted to the rock shaft 11 in the following-manner:

Pivoted upon the machine frame is a lever 14 one end of which is connected to a crank arm 15 on .the rock shaft 11 by a connecting rod 16 and mounted on the opposite end of which is a roller stud 17 which bears against a cam 18 secured to a cam shaft 19 rotatably mounted in bearings in the machine frame. The roller stud 17 is adapted to be maintained in engagement with the cam 18l by a spring 2O which connects the lever l1li with a rigid part of the machine frame.

rEhe machine is timed so that when a blank A which has' been initially `folded on the line 1 to form the marginal flap a, is fed to the folding mechanism, .the folding knife l and the guide fingers 10 will be :in their extreme raised position, as shown in full lines Fig. 3, so that kthey will Vnot `obstrnctthe passage of the advancing edges of the blanks into contact with the stops 9. The stops 9 are adjusted in such position `that when the advancing folded edge of .a blank A is in contact therewith, the yline of fold 1 will register with the folding `knife d, and immediately after lthe advancing edge of said `blank strikes said stops, said folding yknife e' is actuated to advance and retract the same very rapidly. The fingers 10 are prefer-ably .timed so that they will be stationary in raised position during actuation of said folding k-nife, which is provided with cut out portions 21, Fig. 5, to permit the advancing edge of said knife to pass below said guide fingers.

I'Vhen the blank is delivered between the folding rolls 3., 3 by the folding knife 4, said rolls will feed the blank L downwardly, folding it on the line 1 to form the marginal flap a and withdrawing the edges Vof said blank from between the guides 7 and 8. as the marginal flap iirst formed, passes from between the guides 7 and 8 so that its free edge extends over the folding roll 3', the folding fingers 10 are advanced rapidly substantially into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, bending vthe free Aedge of said imiigiiial liange a around said folding roll 3 and between `the folding rolls.

I claim:

1. 'In folding mechanism, the combination of folding rolls, a folding knife, actuating means therefor, a movably supported guide for conducting the advancing free edges of pre-folded marginal flaps of blanks delivered -to the folding rolls between said rolls, and actuating means for advancing said gnide into operative position and for retracting it out of the path of blanks as they are fed to said folding mechanism.

2. Folding mechanism as specified in Claim 1, in which the guide for the pren lill! folded marginal fiaps consists of pivoted fingers, and the actuating means comprises means for oscillating said fingers.

v3. Folding mechanism as specified in claim l, in Which the guide for the prefolded marginal fiaps consists of pivotally supported curved fingers, and the actuating means comprises means for imparting oscillating movement thereto.

4. Folding mechanism as specified in claim l, in which the guide for the prefolded marginal flaps consists of fingers and a rock shaft to Which said fingers are secured, and the actuating means comprising means for oscillating said shaft.

5. Folding mechanism as specified in claim l, in which the guide for the prefolded marginal flaps consists of adjustably pivoted fingers and the actuating means comprising means for oscillating said fingers.

6. Folding mechanism as specied in claim l, in which the guide for the prefolded marginal flaps consists of pivoted ngers, and the actuating means comprises means for oscillating said fingers, said guide fingers extending across the path of movement of the folding knife When retracted and said knife being provided With notches in its edge adapted to receive said guide fingers.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aHiX my signature this 31 day of Oct., A. D. 1923.

AUGUST W. HALL. 

